by Scott Baron
“I am sorry, Happizano. I truly am. But I am afraid there is a problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“The men who took you. They have a presence in your home and around your world. I am sorry, but we cannot safely take you home. Not now, anyway.”
The boy’s eyes welled up with emotion as he bolted from the galley.
“But dessert,” Bud called after him.
“I’m sorry, Bud. But I appreciate your attempt to minimize the trauma,” Hozark said.
“Master Hozark, what happened down there? You said there was a Council presence?” Demelza asked.
“There is. Both in orbit, though disguised, and within the estate’s grounds themselves, also disguised, though the staff seems to know who they are. They believe the ruse is all for the protection of the property at the visla’s request.”
“Which we know is a steaming pile of crap,” Bud said.
“Hey, what’s this about the Council and a visla?” Henni asked.
She had not been present for the earliest stage of this endeavor. As such, there were some finer points she was still not entirely up to speed on. In all the commotion and racing from system to system, bringing the young woman who they’d thought would just be a temporary passenger up to speed had kind of fallen through the cracks.
But now that she was more and more acting as a part of the crew, it would likely be a good idea to fill her in.
“Essentially, the people who attacked Visla Jinnik’s home, kidnapped his son, and killed a great deal of people are now on site under the auspices of being invited by the visla to keep his home safe.”
“And it was the Council that did it. You’re sure?”
“Yes. And if there was any doubt before, there is none now,” Hozark replied.
“Oh?” Laskar asked.
“There was a letter on the visla’s desk. Not a trap, but merely something he left there as he hurried off to do as it directed him.”
“And?” Laskar asked. “You’re killing me, here. What did it say?”
“It demanded the visla fly at once to Nefario to assist the local emmik squash an uprising.”
“That doesn’t sound too––”
“And help them enslave those captured with control collars for use in the slave trade,” he finished.
“Oh. Shit.”
“Yes, Laskar. ‘Oh shit’ does sum that up fairly well.”
Uzabud didn’t like the sound of this one bit. Bad things were afoot, and far worse than he’d previously imagined.
“I assume there was a threat against the kid if he didn’t comply?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Son of a bitch,” Bud grumbled. “By now he’s almost certainly moved on from there, so that letter doesn’t help us much.”
“But it does tell us one thing,” Hozark said. “Validity seals are not used often, so we know it was very likely the same person who laid that trap for us. And that was tied to Visla Ravik and Emmik Urtzal. While those two are not directly involved in quelling that uprising, I would wager that if we dig, there will be other similar disruptions ongoing that do affect them. And it would be at one of those that we would have a higher likelihood of locating the visla.”
“So, we narrow the search to what, a few dozen worlds? It doesn’t sound like the most logical idea,” Laskar said.
“We do not. But the spy network most certainly will. A power like Jinnik’s will not go unnoticed, and word will soon leak out. And if we make it known we are specifically looking for that man, I feel we will have a hit relatively soon.”
“But why use him on peripheral problems? Why not break him out for the big ones?” Bud asked.
Demelza leaned in. “If I may, I have a theory on that. It would seem, from what we have learned so far, that there is a power struggle at play within the Council. One that they are working very hard to keep silent. If a player happened to acquire a visla of this power to their side, even if by coercion, it would be wise to save that asset for themselves.”
Bud nodded in agreement. “I hate to say it, but that makes a lot of sense. And those Council freaks are always backstabbing each other to get more power. I mean, when’s enough, enough, right?”
“I would argue, never,” Laskar said. “But what do we do now?”
“Now we return to Corann to inform her of what has transpired. She and the rest of the order need to be aware of these goings-on. And while we do that, the spy network will do what it does best.”
“And the kid?” Bud asked.
Hozark let out a long sigh. “I will see to him.”
“Go away!” Hap shouted through his door.
“Happizano, I only wish to speak with you.”
“I said, go away. I hate you!”
Hozark opened the door and stepped inside. “I understand your sentiment, and, given the circumstances, do not blame you one bit.”
Hap’s eyes were red from crying, and a slight buzz lingered in the air around him. Hozark found that most interesting. It was an unfocused power, but the boy most definitely had his father’s gift.
Soon, he would grow into his power and would be an emmik at the very least, though given the familial traits, he might very well even become a great visla, if his power proved strong enough.
For now, however, he was still just a young boy, lost, scared, and unfocused.
“We will find your father, young Jinnik. And we will get you to him. I know this setback is upsetting, but you have my word we are doing all in our power to reunite you.”
The boy wiped his nose on his sleeve, but at least his crying had ceased. It had been a rough time for him, no doubt, and this was just one more bump in an already rocky road.
“He was going to teach me some new spells. He said it was time for me to learn the fun stuff.”
“And he is a great visla. I am sure he has many amazing things to share with you.”
“If I ever see him again.”
“You will,” Hozark said. “Your father loves you very much.”
“Sure.”
“I was just in his office, and do you know what he had on his desk? This,” he said, pulling the gladiator doll out of his pocket.
“Suvius the Mighty!” Hap gushed, taking the toy and holding it tight.
“He looked at this every day, hoping to have you come back to him. I can promise you, he will not give up hope. And neither will we.”
Happizano actually seemed calmed for a moment, and strangely enough, Hozark found himself experiencing an odd emotion for a killer. Empathy.
“I’ll tell you what,” the assassin said. “Let me show you a little trick.”
He pulled power from his konus and directed it to the air above his hand with a simple spell. “Arcatis vespool,” he said, the magic flowing out and forming a tiny snow flurry that quickly condensed into an ice cube.
“Whoa. That’s cool.”
“Here, you try,” he said, taking the konus from his wrist and slipping it over the boy’s.
It was large for him, obviously, but for one of Jinnik’s blood, pulling from a konus should be quite simple. In fact, when he was grown, Hap would likely be able to do the opposite, charging the device as easy as breathing.
But for now, he was just a boy, learning the first bits of how his power truly worked.
“Arcatis vespool,” Hap said. “Arcatis vespool!”
“You must not force it. The key to casting is the intent behind the words, not just the words themselves.”
Happizano took a breath and squinted his eyes with concentration. “Arcatis vespool,” he said.
A tiny snowflake formed above his palm, but no more. But it was something, and with it, his spirits brightened.
“Keep at it, young Jinnik. Practice. And tomorrow, I shall help you further. In the meantime, it is late. Get some rest.”
Hap looked up at the Ghalian master. “Hozark?”
“Yes, Happizano?”
“Thanks.”
“It is my pleasure, young Jinnik,” he replied, stepping out the door. “Until tomorrow, then.”
Chapter Forty-Five
The following morning––if it was actually morning, one could never tell in space––found the crew in surprisingly good spirits for a group dealing with the myriad deadly, and downright confusing, variables they had faced of late.
But despite losing the opportunity to get some much-needed rest and relaxation at the visla’s estate, they were nevertheless well-stocked with supplies, and had a destination dialed in.
It wasn’t their first choice, but if they had to pick a second one, visiting the leader of the Five wasn’t a bad fallback.
Corann kept a cozy home wherever she was based. All the better to maintain her warm and friendly motherly vibe. It wouldn’t be a visla’s life of luxury, but she would feed them well, and the beds would be soft and welcoming regardless.
It was a big question mark just how long it would take the Ghalian spy network to discern the likeliest location of Happizano’s father. It could take mere days, or it could take weeks. But one thing was certain. Once they had been tasked with this mission, they would find him. It was just a question of when.
“Sleep well?” Uzabud asked as the violet-haired girl walked into the galley.
“What’s it to you?” she shot back with a groggy yawn.
Her snark was not exactly on point this early in the day, but with better sleep and a significant amount of food, she was actually beginning to look healthy for what was likely the first time in no one knew how long.
As was always the case this early in the day, her hair was something of a mess. The effect only added to her typically off-kilter appearance.
There was something about her. They all felt it. But none could quite put their finger on what it was. One day, Hozark hoped, they would learn the truth of her nature. But for now, that was not a secondary, or even tertiary concern.
“You are looking well, Henni,” the Wampeh said as he sipped his usual morning tea concoction. “How has your sleep been?”
“Better,” she admitted. “Thanks.”
With Hozark, she had adopted a more considerate tone. Not because he could kill her in less than the time it took for her to draw a breath, but because, despite his deadly nature, he had taken her under his protection and accepted her as a part of their odd little group.
She wouldn’t exactly call it a family, but these people had a bond that seemed somehow different than other crews she’d flown with.
The Ghalian were bound by their order, of course. But they had been through a lot together, and it showed. The same with the annoying pilot. Bud was a cocky bastard, but it was clear Hozark trusted him implicitly.
Laskar was the wildcard. He was part of the team, but he seemed to grate on everyone’s nerves on a fairly regular basis. But he was a good pilot, and a very good navigator, so it seemed his grating nature was given a pass.
In short order, everyone had gathered in the galley and was enjoying a relatively quiet breakfast before digging into the day. Everyone but their newest guest.
“I suppose I’ll go wake up the kid,” Bud said, sliding up from his seat. “A little food in his belly should keep him from bitching. At least more than usual.”
Bud left his mug on the table and strolled out while stretching wide, his shoulders crackling as he did.
“Oof, that didn’t sound good,” Laskar noted.
“Just working the excess awesome through my bones, is all,” Bud said with a grin, then headed off down the corridor.
A few minutes later he returned, a slightly confused look on his face.
“Uh, guys? Any of you seen the kid this morning?”
“Why, Bud?” Demelza asked.
“He’s not in his room.”
“Perhaps he is in the restroom or bathing compartment,” she offered.
“Nope. Checked there too.”
Hozark’s brow furrowed ever so slightly. “This is disconcerting,” he said. “And you are certain he was not merely hiding?”
“Dude, this is my ship. I know the nooks and crannies. He wasn’t in his room, or anywhere I could see.”
“Shit. You think he spaced himself?” Laskar asked.
“There? Your mind went there?” Bud asked.
“Just asking.”
“He’s a kid, Laskar.”
“A kinda messed up kid,” he replied.
“Enough of this nonsense. Come, all of you. We must search the ship. And I do not mean just the living spaces,” Hozark said. “He is relatively small and could be anywhere.”
“Aww, shit,” Henni said, dropping her food back onto her plate. “Well, I guess it’ll taste good cold too. So, what do we do?”
The five of them split up, each with a different part of the ship to search. It was a smuggling ship, and Uzabud had outfitted it with many secret compartments in which to hide contraband, should the need arise. Unfortunately, that also meant there were a very large number of places the young boy could hide.
Bud seemed incredulous that a mere kid could have even found the hidey-holes he had so painstakingly constructed and concealed, but Hozark was firm. They had to be thorough.
It was rather time-consuming, but after nearly an hour the group reconvened in the command center. Each of them empty-handed.
“How is this possible?” Demelza wondered. “He has to be somewhere.”
“I’m telling ya. He spaced himself.”
“Shut up, Laskar.”
“He actually has an interesting point,” Hozark said, a curious look in his eye.
“What? You really think he’d do that?”
“Not exactly, Bud. But this line of thinking does give me an idea. I shall return shortly.”
Hozark walked the corridors of the large craft until he reached the location of the umbilical spell that connected his vessel to Bud’s mothership. He uttered the words to open the seal between both craft.
Happizano was there, seated quietly in the seeming void of space. Of course, there was a magical tube of air connecting the ships, but that was not visible to the naked eye. He didn’t even look up at Hozark.
The assassin stared a moment, then let out a small sigh.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he took a seat next to the boy.
Hap did not answer, his eyes fixed on the hull beneath him.
Hozark waited a long moment, deciding what to say or do next. He could simply haul the boy inside, of course. But that would not rectify whatever this situation was, and it could even possibly make it worse.
Finally, he spoke. “Tell me. Why did you choose this place? There are many far more comfortable locations to hide.”
Hap slowly looked up and met the Wampeh’s gaze. “I was gonna steal your ship,” he admitted.
Hozark was greatly amused, on the inside. The sheer gall of the boy. The balls, though they likely had not even dropped yet. It was impressive, and he couldn’t help but approve of his young guest’s plan. He lacked the requisite skill to carry it out, of course, but nevertheless, he had tried. And that was more than you could say of most.
“You planned to fly home, I assume?”
“Yeah,” the boy replied, looking away.
“But you quickly learned that my ship is much harder to force entry to than the umbilical spell, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I noticed.”
Hozark chuckled slightly. “My dear boy, you should be proud of your accomplishment. To overcome the spell sealing off this space required a fair bit of magical skill. And had you attempted to access one of the lesser ships mounted to the hull, you might have even succeeded, though that is still not likely. You see, in space, the docking spells are far stronger out of necessity.”
“Why is yours harder to get into?”
“I am a Wampeh Ghalian, and my spells are much, much stronger than most.”
Happizano said nothing. It wasn’t the angry reaction he had been expecting, but he was chided, neverthe
less. The Ghalian master was about to invite the boy back inside the mothership when something caught his eye. Something utterly unexpected.
Puddles. Several of them. Tiny puddles of water, in this place, nowhere near any source of liquid. Hozark’s interest was suddenly piqued.
“Show me,” he instructed the boy.
Hap reached out with his hand, the oversize konus still dangling from his wrist. “Arcatis vespool,” he said, casting with not just the words but the intent, as he had been instructed.
A swirl of sparkles appeared in his palm, slowly coalescing into a tiny snowball. It wasn’t a hard and fully formed ice cube. Not yet. But it was worlds of improvement from what he had been able to do the day before.
Hap placed the little ball of snow on the deck and watched as it slowly began to melt like the others had.
“I am most impressed, young Jinnik. You have greatly improved, and in just one day.”
“I still can’t get it right, though.”
“No one does at first. This is a process, and it takes time. For some, far longer than others. But you have a visla’s blood in you, and I believe you will be a great caster one day, if this is any sign of your growing powers.”
“You think?” he asked, making eye contact again, at last.
“I do,” Hozark said. And he wasn’t just giving lip service. If the boy was able to do this with just minimal instruction, he would indeed grow to be a power user of some force.
“So, now what? Are you gonna take me back inside?”
Hozark thought but a moment. “No. You may remain here as long as you like. But when you are ready to come back inside, there is food and drink waiting for you in the galley.”
With that, Hozark opened the access and slid through, leaving the boy to his thoughts. He wasn’t all right. Not by a long shot. But he was, at least a little bit, less upset. And that was a good place to start.
Chapter Forty-Six
It took multiple jumps for Bud to finally bring them to Corann’s current home turf on the world of Etratz.
Laskar had plotted the most direct course he could, but given the pull on their Drookonus, and the likelihood of encountering Council vessels in some of the more directly accessible systems, they had been forced to take a somewhat circuitous route in the interest of safety.